Buffy Summers‘ day started bad. And it’s stayed that way. In fact, right this second, she would say that it’s gotten increasingly worse, exponentially. That is if she had a second to think at all. She’s plummeting to her death, a strange city below her, strange craft floating everywhere. And there’s a very angry, young woman, purple-streaks in her hair, who won’t stop hitting her. Where the heck am I? Is that another Scythe this person has? Who the Hell even is this other person? And seriously, what is up with Dawn?

Earlier. Dawn is in the orchard surrounding the castle when, suddenly, she clutches her abdomen in agony – and screams.

In the Squad Room, Buffy, Willow and Xander are eating, specifically Chinese take-out. Xander wants more Haggis. Buffy says it’s chicken. Willow tells them to stop complaining – in a few days they’ll be in the best place in the world for Chinese take-out – with the possible exception of, she guesses, China itself?

Willow has booked a trip – she and Buffy are going to New York. Xander asks her why they would bother – Kumiko was just a gothic vampire spouting words at her, after all, but Willow stops him: that’s her point. Kumiko wasn’t speaking to Willow. Someone, or something else, was talking to her through Kumiko. Buffy jumps up and raises her arms, excitedly. “And that someone wouldn’t happen to be a really-hot-even-though-she’s-got-kind-of-a-snake body demon lady by any chance?”

Willow sweeps off her suggestion, getting slightly flustered. Xander wants to know more, preferably slowly, with many, many visuals. Willow dismisses him. The point is, she says, is that Buffy’s Scythe is the key to the Slayer army. Her contact told Willow it could be found in New York. Buffy says that they have the Scythe, so why would they need to go after it? Willow explains that it doesn’t matter: that message was sent for a reason and they need to work out what it means. Before they lose another… she trails off, aware of Xander.

He stops them both. He appreciates that they’re concerned, but he’s fine. Renee is dead. He’s dealing with it, by himself. He reassures them that’s it’s not a ‘guy’ thing, but rather a mission thing: there are more important things happening right now. But he still wants to know about Willow’s snake-demon lover.

Suddenly Leah bursts into the room: there’s something wrong with Dawn. Willow flies straight towards Dawn, calling her name, worried. Buffy is close behind. They find Dawn in a clearing – not a giant anymore. Buffy is delighted! Yay, Dawnie, yay?

“Neigh,” replies a very not-impressed Dawn. She’s not a giant anymore. She’s now half-human (thankfully the top half) and half horse – a centaur, like the mythic legends.

Elsewhere, Twilight is pondering what Warren Mears is telling him. Warren is losing his patience – he wants to strike now. Amy tries to keep him calm, but Twilight turns to him. His part in the mission is important and, yes, it will do it’s part, but it’s also a smaller part of a bigger plan. Warren retorts that since he has no skin, he doesn’t have the sunset symbol carved into him, so why the heck is he following the orders of Twilight?

Either way, once it goes off, it’s all done. He turns and shows off his latest invention. It’s a rocket, augmented by mystic symbols and spells, accompanied by a crude interpretation of the Twilight symbol. A magic bomb, in more ways than one.

In Scotland, Buffy is on the phone. She’s meeting someone in New York, and wants them to let her know where is best. She apologises to Xander – she wouldn’t leave Dawn, but she has an important meeting. Xander says that he and Dawn will be fine, bored even, while they’re gone. He doesn’t want to leave the girls right this second anyway – not after Renee.

On a private jet, Willow questions if the plane comes out of Buffy’s ‘mysterious benefactor’ budget, but Buffy says that they do actually have some legitimate funding. Willow stops poking fun and Buffy asks what time her magic thing is happening. Willow is betting midnight, because witches like midnight. Buffy is worried – they don’t know what’s gonna happen when Willow makes contact with her source. Willow thinks they’ll be fine – in and out and back home within a day. As for anything that might jump out at them, Willow called in a favour and sent someone ahead to prepare for them.

In New York, Kennedy greets Willow, pulling her into an intimate hug as Buffy struggles to carry their luggage through the airport terminal. She’s good, she insists. Willow tells Kennedy that Buffy has had an outfit crisis, because she’s never been to New York.

It shows, thinks Kennedy, as the trio – in the back of a limo – make their way over one of the bridges into Manhattan. Buffy is standing, head out of the limo through the sun roof – acting like a tourist.

Arriving at Slayer Headquarters, they’re greeted by Sunnydale alum Vi, who is explaining that there are magical turf wars all over Manhattan. The energy signature they’re looking for has been difficult to track, but they’ve managed to get it to within a block of 53rd and Lex. As Willow comes into the room, the Slayers start to get excited – Buffy and Willow are like celebrities to them: legends.

Willow asks Vi to step aside for a second and, taking a pen, starts to explain to everyone present: she draws a straight line, three lines crossed through it. She explains that this is time.

The past, the present and what would be. An event at some point in the future is rippling backward through time, causing issues in their present – like a pebble being thrown in a pond.

As Willow continues her lecture – and gets annoyed when people interrupt her – Kennedy and Buffy are talking at the side of the room. Kennedy says that’s she’s hot for teacher, which Buffy remembers Willow doing in high school. Kennedy gets defensive and warns Buffy that she knows about her night with Satsu, and Willow is off-limits.

In Scotland, Dawn is standing on top of a hill. She’s obviously upset – first a giant, and now a horse. It’s the second stage of her three-part curse. Xander thinks she looks awesome – a majestic creature of legend – but Dawn says that she’s a legend – who wants to eat hay! Xander tells her that at least it’s better than stomping Tokyo. There must be a non-whiny way to deal with this, and when I say ‘Whiny’… Realising the bad joke, he reaches for Dawn, but she gallops away, upset.

As Xander heads back to the castle, annoyed with himself for not thinking before speaking, a strange green light appears in the sky. He realises what it is by it’s shape: it’s a rocket. He shouts out a warning, but it’s too late – the rocket smashes straight into the castle, which explodes, erupting in a roar of green, mystical flame. Xander is thrown back by the blast and looks on in horror.

In New York, Kennedy and Willow are awaiting midnight, ready to reach out to whatever is trying to contact them.

Buffy comes through the door, slightly overdressed for a meeting, but she’s here and on time, Scythe in hand! She explains her dress as being undercover, but says she can change if they want… and with a flash of light, a green, scaly demon, slime dripping from it’s teeth, takes Buffy’s place! The demon slices straight at Kennedy.

Elsewhere, Buffy doesn’t know where she is. She’s in pain, but it stops when she materialises. She looks around – not very appealing, but still a city. Not New York City though.

Before she can do anything, a young woman, purple-streaks in her hair, punches Buffy and she goes down. As she hits the floor, dropping the Scythe, she hears a voice yelling at her.

“This is toy! You think you can spin me with a half-coi glam of a Slayer been dust more than two cen?” The girl stands over Buffy, and she’s holding the Scythe. Not Buffy’s Scythe. Her own.

The girl sneers. “You’re lower than a Lurk.”

And Buffy just looks up at Melaka Fray, Slayer of the 23rd Century and protector of Haddyn.

Dumbfounded and incredibly confused, Buffy asks the stranger to speak English…